SB ^fti stoTHER Jonathan" Skkies -No. <i 

Zi BOOK ABOUT 

~ush mum 




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,,Bro. Jonathan" Series of Fruit Books 

Copyrighted and published exclusively by The Fruit-Grower 
Company. Saint Joseph, Missouri. 

This is a series of booklets published by The Fruit-Grower 

Co.. St. Joseph. Mo., on different phases of fruit culture, 

which are intended to help those engaged In the pursuit of 

horticulture. All books are Illustrated. 

No. 1 — "Propagating Trees and Plant9." — Describes the pro- 
cess of budding, grafting, layering, etc. It is by Prof. W. 
L. Howard of the University of Missouri, with protographs 
by E. H. Favor, of the same Institution. 

No. 2 — "A Treatise on Spraying." — By Prof. J. M. Stedman. 
entomologist of the Missouri Experiment Station. Many of 
the most destructive insects are shown, with full directions 
for combating them. 

No. 3 — "How to Grow Strawberries " — By Dr. J. C. Whltten. 
professor of horticulture of the University of Missouri. It 
treats of growing Strawberries as a commercial crop or for 
home use 

No. 4 — "The Home Garden." — By Prof. Howard and Mr 
Favor. Tt tells how to make hotbeds, coldframes, etc: how- 
to handle them to the best advantage. The more common 
garden vegetables are discussed, together with some which 
are too often neglected 

No /> — "Packing and Marketing Frnits." — By Prof. F. A. 
Waugh. of Massachusetts Agricultural College. This book- 
tells about the correct times for picking different fruits, 
describes different packages used in which to market them. 

No. 6 — "A Book About Bush Fruits." — By Prof A. T. Erw'n 
of Towa Agricxiltural folleee Treats of blackberries, rasp- 
berries, etc., with methods of culture: also gives recipes 
for canning and preserving. 

No. 7 — "Growing Grapes." — By E H »Mehl, Alton. 111. Mr. 
Riehl is a successful commercial grower, and discusses va- 
rieties, modes of training-, etc. 

No. 8 — "Hints on Pruning." — By Dr. J. C. Whltten. The 
pruning of different kinds of fruit trees and plants Is dis- 
cussed, with reasons for the methods recommended 

No. — "Apple Culture, with a Chapter on Pt-ars." — By Dr. J 
C. Whltten. This is intended to be a booklet for the prac- 
tical man who wants to know bow to get some good from 
his orchard. 

No 10 — "Success With Stone Fruits " — By Prof F A Waugh 
The different stone fruits are treated, with lists of best 
varieties of .each Methods of planting, pruning, etc., ar- 
discussed fWr e#ch class. 

These Booklets Will Be Sent Postpaid for 

25c Eewch or Five for One Dollar 



THE 

BUSH FRUITS 



By A. T. ERWIN 

Associate Professor of Horticulture. Iowa 
State College, Ames, Iowa 



Also an appended chapter containing notes on 

Their Preparation as 
Food Products 

BY 

MISS GEORGETTA WITTER 

Professor of Domestic Science, 
Iowa State College 



PUBLISHED BY THE FRUIT-GROWER COMPANY 
SAINT JOSEPH, MISSOURI 

19U5 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Received 

MAY 4 1906 

Copyright Entry / 

4,f*6 

CLASS? CO XXc, No 
J/f<3 K 




COPY 



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Brother Jonathan 
Series 



ft 5. &?■ 



Booklet No. 6 



'Bush Fruits 



The term "bush fruits" is used commonly to des- 
ignate the small fruits that are borne on bushes, 
and includes the Currant, Gooseberry, Raspberry, 
Blackberry and Dewberry. All of them are native 
to the United States, and the garden varieties rep- 
resenting the different species are of comparatively 
recent origin. With many of them, their improve- 
ment and evolution has only begun, and the next 
few years will mark a very great difference between 
the native species and the forms grown within the 
garden. 

As a class, the bush fruits have a very promising 
future because of their adaptability for small areas. 
No city lot is so small but that at least a corner 
can be found for a few of them, and they give fair 
returns, even where the conditions are not the best 
for plant growth. With the rapid increase of urban 
population, the acreage for bush fruits of all kinds 
would be greatly increased. 

Varieties 

Varieties are largely influenced by soil and cli- 
matic conditions, hence the selection of sorts for a 
given locality is primarily a local problem. There 
are certain varieties however, that have proven use- 
ful over a large territory in the Central West. Under 
the different classes of fruit the writer has endeav- 
ored to call attention to merely a few of the leading 
varieties for this section, without any effort at mak- 
ing the list complete. Such a list can scarcely be 
more than suggestive in giving the characters of a 
given variety and the final determination as to their 
adaption for a given locality must rest with the local 
planter. 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



The Currant 

Probably no representative of the bush fruit 
group shows a stronger liking for northern latitudes 
than does the currant. The species from which 
practically all of our cultivated varieties of value 
have sprung is known botanically as Ribes rubrum 
and is native to the cooler portions of both Europe 
and America. In this country it is indigenous from 
New York to Minnesota and north. 

Its native habitat is quite suggestive as to its cul- 
tural requirements with regard to climatic condi- 
tions. The currant loves a cool atmosphere and a 
retentive soil. It is perfectly hardy to the cold of 
winter, but does not thrive best in the lower alti- 
tudes and bright sunshine of the South. In southern 
sections this requirement can be met in a way by 
growing them in a shady situation, as between the 
rows of fruit trees in the orchard or on a north 
slope. 

The currant delights in a rich, fertile garden soil, 
with a reasonable degree of moisture present. Like 
the gooseberry, it leaves out very early in the spring 
and for this reason, fall planting is an advantage. 
As you go north, however, fall planting in general 
is less certain, and frequently plants set in the fall 
suffer winter injury. This is not so likely to be the 
case, however, if the work is done sufficiently early 
in the fall to enable the plants to become re-estab- 
lished before winter sets in. Fall transplants should 
also be mulched at the opening of winter with a lib- 
eral coating of litter or manure. 

Two-year-old plants are commonly used, and a 
distance of four feet apart in the row, with rows 
six feet apart, is very convenient distance for plant- 
ing. For the first two years after planting, clean 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 7 

culture should be practiced. After this the soil may 
be kept clean, or the plants may be permanently 
mulched. For this mulching, crushed corn stalks 
from the feed yard are excellent. 

The currant may be trained to a tree form, but 
especially in the prairie states the bush form is 
much the better adapted to climatic conditions, and 
there is also much less loss from the cane borer. 
The best fruit is borne upon the two and three-year- 
old wood, and this fact should be remembered in 
pruning. After the canes reach an age of four or 
five years they become stunted in growth and the 
fruit dwarfed in size. Systematic pruning should 
be followed to encourage the formation of stout 
young canes. By cutting out a few of the old canes 
each year a balance may be maintained between 
the bearing and the old growth, and this keeps the 
plant in fruitful yet vigorous condition. 

For shipping purposes the fruit should be gath- 
ered while still a little green, though for home use 
a better flavor is secured if the berries are permit- 
ted to fully ripen on the bush. The fruit is com- 
monly marketed in the common strawberry crates. 
Ten to twelve cents per quart is a very common 
retail price, and a good bearing plant should aver- 
age five pounds of fruit. 

The most serious insect enemy of the currant in 
the Central West is the currant worm. This insect 
is an unwelcome guest of foreign birth, and in many 
localities strips the plants annually with the utmost 
regularity. The eggs are deposited in rows along 
the veins of the leaves on the under surface, espe- 
cially on the leaves near the ground, early in 
the spring. The young begin to feed about 
the last of May and are frequently well established 
before being noticed. They reach the upper branches 




Currant Worm. 

(a) Eggs deposited on under surface of leaves. 

(b) Young- larvae. 

(c) Full grown larvae. (d) Adult insect. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 

and become conspicuous about the time the fruit is 
ready to gather in June, a time when it is more 
difficult to combat them. If taken in its early stages 
this insect is easily destroyed with arsenate of lead 
or Paris green. These insecticides, however, should 






* ■ .rf^W * 






not be applied after the fruit begins to color. At 
this stage the best material to apply is hellebore, 
as it is harmless to man. 

The currant is occasionally subject to leaf spot 
and other fungus diseases, and for this reason it is 



10 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



advisable to add Bordeaux mixture to the insecti- 
cide when spraying for the currant worm. 

Some ten years ago Professor J. L. Budd, of the 
Iowa Experiment Station, introduced from eastern 
Europe and disseminated throughout the North- 





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west, a number of new varieties of the large fruited 
black currant. These have proven hardy and rea- 
sonably fruitful, but owing to a special tang in 
their flavor and also to the odor of the fruit, they 
have never become popular, though they are re- 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 11 

garded as being very superior abroad, and those 
who have cultivated a taste for them are partial to 
them in this country. 

VERSAILLES — This variety is a strong grower; 
canes moderately large, long and upright, and quite 
vigorous and hardy. The fruit is medium in size, 
roundish, and of a light red color; flavor slightly 
sub-acid; quality good; bunches compact; one of 
the most productive and widely grown varieties in 
the middle West. 

VICTORIA— Fruit of a bright red color, medium 
or above in size, and mildly sub-acid. The fruit will 
remain on the bush in good condition for some 
time; an old, reliable variety. 

RED DUTCH — A well-known and standard com- 
mercial sort. 

WHITE GRAPE— One of the best white varie- 
ties now offered on the market. The canes are 
vigorous and hardy, though not as productive as 
some of the red sorts. Fruit large, clusters long, 
skin transparent, and slightly sub-acid. An excel- 
lent dessert sort 



# 



12 A BOOR ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



The Gooseberry 

The American varieties of gooseberries are among 
our hardiest fruit-bearing plants. The early attempts 
at gooseberry growing in America were confined to 
the English sorts, and resulted in a general failure 
on account of their weak foliage and susceptibility 
to mildew and other diseases. All of the standard 
varieties of the present day are cultivated forms of 
a species of the native gooseberry, known botan- 
ically as Ribes oxycanthoides, which is indigenous 
to the upper Mississippi Valley, and in this region 
the cultivated varieties seem to reach their highest 
development. 

The gooseberry is one of the very first plants 
to leaf out in the spring, and like the currant, is 
partial to the cool regions of the North. The cli- 
matic conditions and the black fertile soil of the 
prairie states have proven peculiarly well adapted 
to its requirements. 

Two-year-old plants are commonly used for trans- 
planting, and on account of its early leafing habit, 
fall setting is advisable. The rows may be placed 
five feet apart, with plants four feet apart in the 
row. 

The best fruit is borne on the two and three- 
year-old wood, and a thinning out of the weaker 
growth to secure strong, vigorous canes and a re- 
newal of the bearing wood is the only pruning re- 
quired. 

The gooseberry is largely free from insect ene- 
mies, though the currant worm occasionally defo- 
liates the plants. For this insect, an arsenite or 
hellebore may be used, as recommended for the 
currant. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 13 

The foliage is sometimes affected with the downy 
mildew. This disease appears as a dirty white web- 
like structure on the young stems, leaves and fruit. 
The growth of the fruit is arrested, causing it to 
fall prematurely. The affected leaves are also apt 
to drop, leaving the plant at midsummer in a badly 
defoliated condition. An application of Bordeaux 
mixture just as the buds are opening is excellent. 
Bordeaux mixture should not be used, however, 
after the berries are half grown, as it is apt to stain 
the fruit, and at this stage of growth potassium 
sulphide is recommended. 

Clean culture should be given until the plants are 
well established, which would mean for at least the 
first two or three years. After this period the plants 
may be permanently mulched, though an occasional 
stirring of the soil and an application of manure 
is highly advantageous. 

In America the gooseberry is consumed entirely 
in its cooked state, while in England it is consumed 
largely as a fresh fruit from the hand. In the mid- 
dle West it is a general favorite for winter pies and 
is especially relished for its acidity in the early 
months of spring. For this purpose the fruit is pre- 
ferred when gathered when about three-fourths ma- 
ture, or just before it begins to color. However, 
the mistake is frequently made of gathering goose- 
berries for the market when not more than half 
grown. At this stage they are insipid in flavor and 
soon wilt and become discolored. For shipping pur- 
poses the twenty-four quart berry crate makes an 
excellent package. 

VARIETIES. 

The American varieties of gooseeberries have not 
advanced a great deal from their wild state, and 



14 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

some of the best varieties today, such as the Hough- 
ton and Downing, were produced more than a half 
century ago. That we have not reached a limit 
in the improvement of this fruit is evidenced by the 
history of the English sorts. The native English 
gooseberry is said to be in no way superior to our 
own varieties in its possibilities; yet from this Eng- 
lish parent varieties have been created which pro- 
duce single fruits measuring over four inches in 
circumference. It seems probable, however, that the 
English sorts have been improved with a sole eye 
to mere size and bigness regardless of quality. In 
Lindley's "British Fruits," Volume I, page 22, which 
is a recognized authority among fruit-growers, he 
says: 

"No garden is complete without a selection of 
small fruited gooseberries, which, in general, are as 
superior to the large ones in richness of flavor as 
they are inferior in magnitude." 

Many of these large fruited varieties have been 
tried in this country, but with general failure. In 
the corn belt region they are especially subject to 
mildew and are also apt to winter kill. 

Some of the best American varieties are the 
Champion, Houghton, Downing and Pearl. 

Recently there has been introduced a new type 
of gooseberry representing a cross between the Eng- 
lish and American sorts, of which the Industry is 
a good example. While this type possesses some 
superior points, it is to be regretted that it has not 
proven hardy as far north as Iowa. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 15 



Raspberries 

As viewed from an economic standpoint, Rasp- 
berries may be divided into two groups; namely, 
the Red Caps and the Black Caps. 

The Black Caps, on account of their firm texture 
of fruit and good shipping qualities, are distinctly 
the commercial type for large plantations and long 
distance shipments. The Reds, on the other hand, 
bear a fruit which is rather soft and of a delicate 
texture, which necessitates the disposal of the fruit 
on the home market. It also possesses a delicacy of 
flavor unknown to the black sorts, and for this rea- 
son it is especially prized by the amateur, and also 
usually commands a price of from two to three 
cents more per quart on the market than the black 
varieties. 

These two types also differ as to their method 
of propagation, the blacks being increased by stolens 
or rooted tips, while the reds multiply by suckers. 
To secure young plants of the black sorts, the soil 
in the middles should be cultivated and kept in 
good tilth during August and September to encour- 
age the rooting of the tips. The work may be facili- 
tated by partially burying the tips with a spadeful 
of earth or weighting them down with a peg or 
clod. Roots are readily emitted at the points com- 
ing in contact with the moist soil, and by late fall 
these tips should be well established and able to 
shift for themselves. The transplanting may be 
done either in the fall or spring, though in the 
colder regions it is best not to sever the tips from 
the parent plant or in any way disturb them until 
the following spring. They may be dug and stored, 
however, with safety. 



16 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



The Red Caps sucker 
very freely, and young 
plants may be set deeper 
than with the Blacks, and 
for this reason are less lia- 
ble to winter injury. They 
also begin growing very 
early in the spring, and 
many growers prefer to 
transplant them in the fall. 

The Raspberry is com- 
monly planted in rows 
about seven feet apart and 
the plants three feet apart 
in the row. However, on 
the city lot, where space 
is limited, this may be 
reduced to three by five 
feet. The first year after 
setting, no fruit should 
be allowed to form, and 
the young shoots should 
be cut back when they 
reach a height of fif- 
teen inches, and with 
the Black Caps the side 
branches should be cut 
back one-half the spring 
following. The second 
year the canes should be 
headed in when they reach 
a height of two feet and 
a similar cutting back 
of the side branches the 




Red Raspberry Cane 

with well developed side 

branches due to summer 

pruning. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 17 

spring following should be made. This nipping 
back of the terminal branches during the summer 
season is very important, as it induces the develop- 
ment of side branches. These laterals or side 
branches form the fruit bearing wood for the suc- 
ceeding crop, hence it is highly desirable to induce 
their development. It is well to go over the plan- 
tation at frequent intervals, in order to tip the canes 
as they reach the height mentioned. If the work is 
delayed for a single operation, many of them will 
become too large and the side buds do not develop 
so well. A light hand sickle is a very convenient 
tool for this work. This heading in tends to pro- 
duce a short, bushy cane which is able to support 
itself, and in a prairie region the fruit is less in- 
jured by the wind through the whipping of the 
branches. Short canes also assume a more erect 
form of growth, making the berries more conven- 
ient to gather, and by this method of pruning the 
bearing area is more concentrated, which facilitates 
the work of gathering the fruit. 

As the new growth comes on, a number of the 
strongest and most vigorous canes should be re- 
served for the succeeding crop and the weaker ones 
cut out. The Red Caps are prolific sprouters, and 
special care must be exercised in this regard to keep 
them under control, otherwise in a very short period 
of time the plantation will be one solid mass of 
small canes which are so dense as to shade the fruit 
heavily and produce an inferior crop of berries. This 
tendency to become weedy is one of the most seri- 
ous objections to the red type of raspberries. In 
growing this kind the rows must be carefully de- 
fined and all plants coming up through the middles 
treated as weeds and cut out. 

At the close of the fruiting season the old canes 



18 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITjS 

should be cut out and burned. This work may be 
done any time during the summer or fall, but the 
best time is immediately following the fruiting 
period. If delayed until after the new canes are 
formed they are more difficult to remove. 

Clean culture should be given throughout the 
growing season. The raspberry is especially sensi- 
tive to a lack of moisture, and the presence of a 
dust mulch to retain the water supply of the soil, 
is very important. For soils that are open in tex- 
ture and lacking in water holding capacity, a mulch 
of straw, crushed corn stalks, or newly cut clover, 
applied about the base of the plants and for a dis- 
tance of two feet on each side, as the berries begin 
to form is excellent and does not interfere with the 
cultivation of the aisles. 

In sections where the crop is liable to be cut 
short by drouth, planting on a north slope is a de- 
cided advantage. Any fertile garden soil will pro- 
duce good raspberries. An application of well rot- 
ted manure, applied at the rate of fifteen tons per 
acre, every second or third year, is also advisable 
for most soils. This will not only add plant food 
to the soil, but will also increase the water holding 
capacity of the soil through the humus supplied — 
a point of importance with the raspberry crop. 

As a rule, the best results are secured by putting 
out a new plantation every few years. The plants 
in an old plantation tend to become diseased and 
weakened in vigor, and under these conditions it is 
advisable to grub them out and start in with a new 
plantation on clean soil, and thus rotate the crop. 

In the more severe sections of the Northwest the 
canes are apt to winter kill unless protection during 
the winter is furnished. To avoid this, they are 
laid down in the fall and covered with earth. In 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. ID 

some cases the canes are merely bent over in the 
direction of the prevailing winds and the tips weight- 
ed down. In this way they are better able to gather 
and hold the snow, which is a great protection. 
Where the plants are laid down for the winter, some 
kind of a support is necessary to hold the canes up- 
right the following spring. However, in most parts 
of the middle West, winter protection is unneces- 
sary and if the plants are properly pruned in the 
summer to secure a stocky growth, no support will 
be required. 

The Black Caps are commonly marketed in the 
one-quart strawberry boxes. On account of the 
fruit of the Reds being very soft and tender, the pint 
boxes are advisable. For either kind the flat-bot- 
tomed boxes are not satisfactory, as the lower layers 
of fruit are bruised too much. In this respect the 
raised bottom is of material advantage. A box 
holder facilitates the picking, as both hands are left 
free for work. 

VARIETIES OF RED AND PURPLE RASP- 
BERRIES. 

RED VARIETIES. 

CUTHBERT— An old standard variety which has 
been widely grown; plants are strong, vigorous, pro- 
ductive. Fruit large, red, moderately firm, and of 
high flavor; good quality; a fair shipping sort. 

MILLER — This variety has been grown to a con- 
siderable extent in the East and to some extent in 
the West. It is a strong, moderate grower; hardy 
and productive; fruit holds to stem and does not 
drop; large, bright red, juicy, firm and good quality; 
a very good market variety, and would stand ship- 
ping better than most varieties. 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



TURNER— An old variety which is still consid- 
ered a very good variety. Canes are moderate grow- 
ers and very productive. Fruit is medium size, red, 
very juicy and of high quality; too soft for shipping. 

PURPLE VARIETIES. 

HAYMAKER— This variety was originated in 
Ohio and is now grown in some parts of the upper 
Mississippi Valley. Canes are vigorous, thrifty, 
moderately hardy and productive; fruit large, firm, 
dark purple; very juicy, and of good quality. Sea- 
son late; a good shipping variety. 

COLUMBIAN— A seedling of Cuthbert; one of 
the most hardy varieties of this class; productive; 
fruit is of good size; good quality, and firm for 
shipping. 

BLACK RASPBERRIES. 

The OLDER is a variety that is widely grown 
and makes a good variety for a distant market. It 
originated in Iowa about 1872. The canes are low 
growing, spreading, and moderately vigorous, hardy, 
and the fruit is large, black, firm, good quality, and 
productive. 

GREGG (Western Triumph)— This is one of the 
oldest varieties and will be found in almost every 
commercial plantation. It originated in Indiana 
about 1866. Plant is upright, and vigorous, with 
strong canes. Fruit is large, roundish oblate, with 
a dull white bloom, and firm. A good bearer; sea- 
son late. 

EUREKA — This is a vigorous grower, hardy, and 
productive. Fruit of good size, firm and very juicy; 
a very good sort 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



KANSAS — Originated in Kansas in 1884. Plant is 
a vigorous grower, hardy, and can be easily prop- 
agated by tipping. Fruit resembles the Gregg; 
fully as larere, some earlier; flavor better. A good 
shipper on account of its firmness. 







® 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 23 



The blackberry 

The cultivated blackberry is distinctively an Amer- 
ican product. Its limit of successful cultivation does 
not extend as far north as that of the raspberry. 
On the other hand it thrives over a larger area of 
the south, and in sections where the currant and 
other bush fruits are unprofitable. 

As a commercial fruit it is most profitably grown 
for the local market. The berries begin to color 
before they are ripe, and if gathered at this stage, 
and while still firm, they are low in quality. On 
the other hand the ripe fruit is very tender, even 
more so than the red raspberry. The ripe berries 
bleed readily, and the fruit sours very quickly. For 
this reason it is a difficult fruit to handle for long 
shipments, and is most profitable for the local mar- 
ket. For the home grower it is frequently a very 
profitable crop. 

The best soil for the blackberry is a clay loam. 
This type of soil retains the moisture well, and pro- 
duces an excellent quality of fruit. On soils that 
are inclined to be sandy the fruit is likely to suffer 
for moisture. If it is necessary to plant in a soil 
of this character it is highly advantageous to plant 
on a northern slope if possible. On account of its 
late ripening period, which is after all the other 
bush fruits are gone, it is especially subject to in- 
jury from drought. On the black soil of the prairie 
region, which is usually very rich in nitrogen, the 
plants are inclined to make an excessive wood 
growth, and often at the expense of fruit produc- 
tion. The wood is also more succulent in charac- 
ter, and hence more subject to winter killing. 

After the soil has been thoroughly prepared, the 



24 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



rows may be laid out with a diamond plow, placing 
them eight feet apart, and the plants four feet apart 




Crate of Blackberries. 

in the row. The Planter Junior or Iron Age culti- 
vator are convenient tools for summer work. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 25 

Clean cultivation should be practiced for the first 
two years to secure deep rooting. After this period 
the cultivation may be continued, or the plants may 
be mulched if desired. 

One of the most important points in blackberry 
culture is the pruning. Unless this is attended to 



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. \ .oXviu, iPS^f' 





the patch is very apt to become one mass of thorns, 
and an inpenetrable brush heap. The first year 
after planting the canes should be pinched back at 
a height of two feet. After the first year they are 
headed back at a height of three and a half feet. 
This heading back promotes the formation of lateral 



26 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

or side branches, and is highly advantageous. The 
spring following it is often advisable to cut the side 
branches back if the set of fruit is excessive. A 
compact branchy plant is also of great advantage 
in the gathering, as the fruit is more concentrated 
in area, and the plants can be gotten over much 
more quickly. If the pruning is properly done no 
supports are necessary as a rule, though some grow- 
ers use a single No. 12 wire to tie the canes up 
to in the spring. 

In regions of severe winters, such as northern 
Iowa and Minnesota, winter protection is neces- 
sary. To grow the plants successfully in these re- 
gions, the canes must be covered. To do this the 
plants are laid to the north or west, as the tops 
hold the snow better when placed in this direction. 
The workman begins at the far end of the row and 
weights the tips down with earth. The next hill is 
placed over this shingle fashion, and so on. After 
the canes are all bent over and weighted down, a 
final covering of straw may be added. Hill culture 
is necessary where winter protection is practiced. 

In some regions the cane-borer and orange rust 
are destructive. The most feasible method of com- 
bating these foes is by mowing off the patch and 
burning the vines immediately after the fruiting 
period. Where the plantation is badly infested the 
best plan is to burn everything and start over on 
new land,, taking special pains to secure clean, 
healthy plants. 

The following are among the most profitable va- 
rieties for the Middle West: 

SNYDER — This is perhaps more largely grown 
than any other commercial sort, and is very produc- 
tive, and the berries large and of good quality. For 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 27 

the south the Early Harvest is a profitable berry 
on account of its earliness, but in the north is one 
of the most tender sorts. For northern regions the 
Ancient Briton, Snyder and Stones' Hardy are 
highly regarded. 




A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



Delvberries 

The dewberry is a close relative of the black- 
berry and differs from it in that it is a trailing form 
of growth and roots from the tips instead of from 
suckers. In hardiness it ranks with the blackberry. 
Its fruit ripens before that of the blackberry, which 
renders it less subject to drouth, and for this reason 
frequently produces a fruit of more uniform size. 
Its deep rooting habit also assists materially in this 
regard. In fact, it is" perhaps less affected by 
drouth than any other member of the bramble 
family. 

The best soil for the dewberry is a clay loam, and 
in the black prairie soil region it usually succeeds 
best on the very thinnest soil procurable. On the 
black soil the vines tend strongly to form excessive 
wood growth at the expense of fruit. Also in point 
of hardiness the plants grown on the clay soil are 
firmer in texture and less subject to winter injury. 

In the Middle West and north of the forty-first 
degree, the dewberry is small, tender, and requires 
protection to make it a profitable commercial crop. 
One of the most successful growers in this northern 
region is Mr. W. S. Fultz, of Muscatine, Iowa. For 
the Northern grower, Mr. Fultz recommends the 
following method: 

"To grow the dewberry successfully in Iowa or 
further north, special care is necessary. The plant 
is rather tender and requires winter protection, and 
without this it is not a profitable berry to grow. 
The first four or five years in our experience we 
made a failure of it, notwithstanding the fact that 
we tried various methods of treatment. Four years 
ago this fall we hit upon a method of treatment 
that we have since followed with decided success. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 29 

"We plant in rows seven feet apart, and set the 
plants five feet apart in the rows. The first year 
we planted potatoes with the dewberries as a nurse 
crop, and in the fall after the potatoes were dug, the 
dewberries were covered with a mulch to protect 
them during the winter. The following spring the 
vines were raised above the mulch and clean culture 
given during the summer. The following fall after 
the leaves had fallen the vines were all cut away 
from each hill except six, three on each side. These 
six vines were cut back to three and one-half to 
four feet long, and were then drawn down length- 
wise of the row, three each way from the hill and 
fastened down with a couple of small stakes. This 
drawing down of the vines is done to bring down 
or straighten the bow that grows in each vines at 
the hill, so as to reduce the amount of mulch needed 
for covering and to give better protection by hav- 
ing the vine close to the ground. This small, slen- 
der row of vines is then covered over with earth 
or with mulch of some kind. We have covered with 
earth by throwing it over the vines with a plow, 
Which is the most rapid way of doing the work. 
We have also tried various kinds of mulch and now 
cover entirely with forest leaves, which are held in 
place with a little earth thrown on the edges of 
the row of leaves by a small seven-inch plow. The 
leaves should be about three inches deep over the 
vines and just wide enough to properly cover them. 
When trimmed and drawn down close to the ground 
it requires but a small amount of leaves to properly 
cover the vines. Care should be taken that there 
is no frost in the vines when staking down, as then 
they are very brittle and apt to break. 

"The second spring after planting, good strong 
posts are set at each end of the rows, the posts to 



30 



A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 



extend two feet above the ground, and well braced. 
Stakes are driven in the ground every fifteen feet 
along the row, the stakes to be as high above the 
ground as the posts. A No. 12 wire is then strung 











■> '" is T* 




**» ' " ''it*-: 

/■*U»-'V4&I ' 



Dewberry N Vines, Supported by Wire Trellis. 



over the rows and fastened to the posts and stakes. 
The wire should be at least twenty inches above the 
ground. In the spring the little stakes that hold 
the vines to the ground are pulled up and the vines 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 31 

are raised and tied to the wire. The leaves are 
allowed to remain on the ground, as they save hoe- 
ing by keeping down the weeds in the row. A 
horse and plow or cultivator is used to keep the 
spaces between the rows clear of weeds. 

"The object of tying up the vines to a wire is 
two-fold. First, to keep the berries off the ground 
and keep them clean, and second, to keep the bear- 
ing vines high enough from the ground so that the 
new growth will not overrun and smother them. We 
find that it is very detrimental to their bearing qual- 
ities to allow the new or current year's growth to 
overrun the old or bearing vines. The treatment 
for each succeeding year is the same as for the 
second year. 

"It must not be supposed that this treatment of 
the dewberry can be given without labor. It re- 
quires a large amount of care and labor to raise 
any kind of fruit, and the dewberry is no exception." 

In the season of 1904 Mr. Fultz secured gross 
returns of $225.00 from an acre, and paid out for 
harvesting and cultivation, $50.00. The dewberry 
commonly retails on the Northern market at $2.50 
per 24-quart crate. 

Whatever form of winter protection is adopted, 
summer pruning is necessary, and is of material ad- 
vantage even where no winter protection is requir- 
ed. As the new canes reach a length of about two 
feet the terminal buds should be nipped out. This 
checking of the growth causes the formation of 
fruit buds near the base of the plant. Tihs is highly 
advantageous, as the tips are more subject to injury. 
Particularly in the North this is one of the most 
important points in the culture of the dewberry. 



32 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

The dewberry may be propagated by either tips 
or root cuttings. Many growers prefer the former, 
believing that a plant with a heavier crown and a 
better root system is thereby secured. This trans- 
planting should be done at the opening of spring. 




Lucretia Dewberry 

Unless the vines are trained to a wire, it is a de- 
cided advantage to have the ground mulched at 
fruiting time, as with the strawberry. The mulch is 
of great assistance in keeping the fruit clean and in 
attractive condition for the market. 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 33 

The Bartell, Lucretia, and Austin are some of the 
most important varieties. The latter is tender ana 
unsatisfactory in the North, and the Bartell and Lu- 
cretia are quite successful over a large territory. 
The Bartell is preferred by some growers on ac- 
count of its vines being less spiny. 




Notes on the flush Fruits 

and their Preparation 

as Food Products 

Compiled by 

MISS GEORGETTA WITTER, 

Professor of Domestic Science, 

Iowa State College. 

A great variety of fruits, both in the fresh and 
dried states, are consumed as articles of food or as 
flavoring agents and luxuries. In studying their 
value as food products, it may be of interest to con- 
sider first their chemical composition. The currant 
and gooseberry may serve as examples in this re- 
spect, especially of those that contain considerable 
acid. The following table indicates their chemical 
composition. 

CURRANT. 



Water 


Nitrogen 


Free ^tner 
Acids Sugar Non-Nitro- Cellulose 
genous 


Ash 


84.77 


.51 


2.15 6.38 .90 4.57 
GOOSEBERRY. 


.72 


Water 


Nitrogen 


Proo Other 

aJmc Sugar Non-Nitro- Cellulose 

Acids genous 


Ash 


86. 


.40 


1.5 7.00 1.9 2.7 


.5 



It will be seen from the above table that these 
fruits possess but a low nutritive value, as they con- 
tain a very large proportion of water, and of their 



36 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

solids only a very small proportion consists of ni- 
trogenous matter. Their chief food value is in the 
sugar which they contain. 

They also contain important salts of vegetable 
acids as well as some free acids. They therefore 
possess valuable anticorbutic properties. As their 
salts are chiefly combinations of vegetable acids 
with alkalies, and as they become converted into 
carbonates in the system, they impart alkalinity to 
the urine, and they are, on that account, valuable in 
gouty states with a tendency to the disposition of 
acid urates. Their agreeable aroma is due to the 
presence of essential oils and compound ethers. 
They all contain varying amounts of indigestible 
cellulose and pectin. Malic acid is found in goose- 
berries and currants. 

OTHER ACIDS. 

When taken in moderate amounts, these fruits are 
useful additions to the dietary; they are cooling and 
refreshing, of agreeable flavor and tend to promote 
intestinal action, and to correct tendencies to con- 
stipation. Taken in excess, or when immature or 
over-ripe, they are apt to set up gastro-intestinal 
irritation, often of a severe form. 

Currants, gooseberries and raspberries are remark- 
able for the amount of free acid which they contain 
which makes them very refreshing and their juices 
form an agreeable addition to effervescing water, 
such as apollinaris or carbonic acid water and may 
sometimes be used in fevers, although lemon juice 
is usually preferable. Currants are prepared in vari- 
ous ways, the chief one being in the form of jelly. 
Prepared in this manner, they constitute an appetiz- 
ing and wholesome flavoring material which may be 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 37 

taken with meats and other foods to stimulate the 
appetite. 

"Currants, raspberries and blackberries are fre- 
quently made into jams. These, on account of the 
large quantity of sugar which is added in their prep- 
aration, are quite nutritious and their numerous 
seeds have a laxative action. For this reason, they 
are sometimes beneficially given to children to be 
eaten with bread and butter. They aid in satisfying 
the natural craving of children for sweets, and if 
taken in moderation, they are very wholesome, and 
their taste may encourage the eating of more nutri- 
tious but less agreeably flavored food, such as rice, 
cornstarch or farina." 

CURRANTS— These include those popularly des- 
ignated as the white, red and the black currants. 
The first is a favorite table fruit, while the red cur- 
rant is more generally esteemed for the purpose of 
jelly, jam and acid flavoring for summer beverages. 

CURRANT JELLY— Currants are in the best 
condition for making jelly between the middle of 
June and the middle of July and should not be picked 
directly after a rain. Cherry currants make the best 
jelly. Equal proportions of red and white currants 
are considered desirable and make a light colored 
jelly. 

Pick over currants, but do not remove stems; 
wash and drain. Mash a few in the bottom of a 
preserving kettle, using a wooden potato masher; 
so continue until berries are used. Cook slowly until 
currants look white ; strain through a coarse strainer, 
then allow juice to drop through a double thickness 
of cheese cloth or a jelly bag. Measure, bring to 
boiling point, and boil for five minutes; add an equal 
measure of sugar, boil five minutes, skim and pour 



38 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

into glasses. Let stand twenty-four hours — cover 
and keep in a cool, dry place. 

CURRANT AND RASPBERRY PRESERVES. 

6 lbs. Currants; 6 lbs. Sugar; 8 qts. of Raspberries. 
Pick over, wash and drain currants. Put into a 
preserving kettle, adding a few at a time, and mash. 
Cook for one hour, strain through a double thick- 
ness ot cheese cloth. Return to kettle, add sugar, 
heat to boiling point, and cook slowly for twenty 
minutes. Add one quart of raspberries when syrup 
again reaches the boiling point, skim out raspberries, 
put in a jar, and repeat until raspberries are used. 
Fill jars to overflowing with syrup and screw on 
tops. 

RED CURRANT JAM. 

Wash the currants, put them into a porcelain lined 
kettle, stand them over a very moderate fire until 
thoroughly heated, then press them through a sieve. 
Measure the liquid, and to every pint allow three- 
quarters of a pound of sugar. Put the sugar and 
liquid back into the kettle and boil rapidly for twenty 
minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. 
Pour into tumblers or jars, and seal the same as 
fruit jelly. 

Black and White Currant jam may be made the 
same. 

CURRANT SYRUP— (Mrs. Rorer.) 

Mash the currants and stand aside in a warm place 
for four days — cover to keep out dust and insects. 
Then turn into a jelly bag and let drip slowly. If 
you wish it very clear, filter through filter paper. 

Measure the juice, and to every pint allow two 
pounds of sugar. Mix the juice and sugar together 
until only a small portion settles to the bottom, then 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 39 

pour it into a double boiler, place over the fire — 
when the sugar is all dissolved, take it from the fire 
and stand aside to cool. When cold, put into small 
bottles, fill to the top, cork lightly, seal, and keep 
in a dark, cool, dry place. Be very careful that you 
use only porcelain or granite utensils in the making 
of the syrup, as the acids of the fruit will act upon 
metal and change the bright red color to a purple. 
Use a wooden spoon in stirring. Strong heat or 
boiling also destroys the color and flavor of the 
syrups. 

GOOSEBERRIES. 

GREEN — Top and stem the gooseberries, wash 
in cold water and drain. To every pound of goose- 
berries, allow one and a quarter pounds of sugar and 
one and a half pints of water. Put the berries into 
a granite kettle, cover with boiling water and stand 
aside a few minutes, to scald. Put sugar and water 
in another kettle to boil. As soon as it boils, skim 
and set aside to cool. When the gooseberries feel 
tender, take them out carefully and slide them into 
a pan of cold water. Let stand a few minutes, then 
carefully put them into the syrup. Stand over a 
gentle fire and let simmer slowly for about twenty 
minutes or until they are clear. When done, put 
carefully intc jars or tumblers and stand aside to 
cool. Covet- and keep jn cool place. 

FOR PIES— They are better sealed without sugar. 
It may be added at time of using. Stem, wash and 
drain gooseberries, put them in a porcelain lined 
kettle, bring quickly to the boiling point and put in- 
to cans. 

SPICED— Cut off the blossom end of the fruit 
and to every six pounds allow two quarts of sugar 
and one-half cups of vinegar. Put the vinegar over 



40 A BOOK ABOUT BUSH FRUITS 

the fire, and when scalding hot, pour in the berries 
with one teaspoonful of whole all-spice and cloves 
mixed, a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a small 
piece of ginger root cut into bits, the whole of these 
tied in a thin muslin bag. Cover closely and let 
gooseberries simmer till they are tender. Put fruit 
into jars, cover with syrup and seal. 

RED RASPBERRIES. 

Select the large red berries, pick carefully and put 
into small glass jars, a layer of berries and a sprink- 
ling of sugar, allowing to each pint of berries, two 
heaping tablespons of sugar. Place jars in a steril- 
izer and steam for six minutes. If fruit settles, 
leaving space unfilled, fill up from another jar as 
need require. Seal without delay and stand aside to 
cool. 

PRESERVED RASPBERRIES. 

Put three quarts of large red raspberries into a 
preserving kettle, mash them and stand over a mod- 
erate fire to heat. At the first boil, remove them 
from the fire and press through a jelly bag. Measure 
and to every pint, allow one pound of sugar. Put 
sugar and juice into a porcelain lined kettle and 
bring quickly to the boil. Boil rapidly for ten min- 
utes, and skim until the scum ceases to rise. Then 
put in three quarts of whole berries. Boil rapidly 
for five minutes and stand aside to cool. When cool, 
bring again to the boiling point, lift carefully by the 
spoonfuls, put into jars — cover with liquid, seal. 

RASPBERRY JELLY. 
Put the berries into a stone jar — stand it in a ket- 
tle of cold water — cover the top of the jar and heat 
slowly until berries are soft Put a small quantity 



FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 41 

into the jelly bag and squeeze out all the juice. 
Measure juice, and to each pint, allow one pound of 
sugar. Boil juice twenty minutes — turn in sugar and 
stir until dissolved. As soon as juice comes to boil, 
remove from fire and fill tumblers. 

Raspberry jelly is the most critical jelly to make, 
and should not be attempted if fruit is thoroughly 
ripe, or if it has been long cooked. 

RASPBERRY SYRUP. 

Mash the berries and stand in a warm place for 
two or three days or until fermentation has com- 
menced. If this is omitted, the syrup will jell in- 
stead of remaining liquid. To every pint of juice, 
allow one and three-quarters pound of sugar. Finish 
same as Currant Syrup. 

Blackberry Syrup may be made in the same man- 
ner. 

RASPBERRY VINEGAR. 

Put two quarts of berries into a stone jar and pour 
over them one quart of good cider vinegar. Cover 
and stand aside for two days, then drain off the 
liquid without mashing the berries, pour it over a 
quart of fresh fruit and let stand as before. Do this 
once more, the last time straining through a muslin 
bag. Now add one pound of sugar to every pint of 
fruit juice. Boil slowly for five minutes, skim, let 
stand fifteen minutes, bottle and seal. Blackberry 
vinegar is made in the same manner. 

BLACKBERRY JELLY. 

Blackberry jelly may be made the same as cur- 
rant jelly. 



CONTENTS 

Bush Fruits 5 

Varieties 5 

Currants 6 

Varieties . . . 11 

The Gooseberry 12 

Varieties 13 

Raspberries 15 

Varieties — Red, Purple and Black 19-22 

The Blackberry -. 2 3 

Dewberries 28 

Notes on Bush Fruits and Their Preparation as 

Food Products 35-41 



ST JOSEPH, MISSOURI 



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